Synopsis: For a hundred years, the Fire Nation has threatened the freedom of the Water, Earth, and Air nations in a war that will likely destroy life as the people know it. So when Katara and her brother Sokka find Aang, a young boy chosen to become the master of the four elements known as the Avatar, frozen in a giant iceberg near their home, they have hope that perhaps the war will soon be over. The three friends set off on a journey to help Aang master the art of water-bending on his way to becoming the man that will help restore the world order.

I don’t remember what possessed me to watch this series initially, but once I got started on it, I couldn’t stop. The story, the world, and the characters are exceptionally crafted and it has a certain all ages appeal that makes it something really special – at least for me. The world of Avatar is one that is both ancient and futuristic, but for me falls more into a fantasy genre more than anything. The peoples of the Air, Water, Earth, and Fire nations each have their own distinctive traditions, ways of life, and unique elemental manipulation skills called bending not unlike the cultures of the modern world and do bear certain resemblances to our modern peoples. The characters are three-dimensional right from the first episode: Katara is a young girl that cares very much for her family and wants to be able to find out what happened to her lost mother; Sokka is a little girl-crazy, but he is loyal and fights to take care of his sister and his family; Aang is young and irresponsible and struggling with having the shoulder the responsibility of being the Avatar, but with Katara and Sokka’s help he’ll become the savior that the world needs. Funny, mysterious, and visually moving, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a fun and engaging series that explores the notions of children in war and the larger destiny that we have waiting for us.